Breast supporter and binder



June 15, 1965 R. D. DORMIRE BREAST SUPPORTER AND BINDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 28, 1963 FIG. 2

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INVENTOR.

ROBERT D. DORMIRE zfiv m ATTORNEYS June 1 5, 1965 D, DQRMlRE 3,189,028

BREAST SUPPORTER AND BINDER Filed Jan. 28, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. FIG. 9 ROBERT D. DORMIRE 7.4% mum,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,189,028 BREAST SUPPORTER AND BINDER Robert D. Dormire, 6% E. Winona, Warsaw, Ind. Filed Jan. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 254,111 '4 Claims. ((31. 128-455) The present invention relates to womens undergarments and more particularly to a breast support and binder.

During pregnancy and often after childbirth, womens -breasts increase in size and for comfort to the'wornan and protection of the breasts, the breasts must be firmly and gently supported. This requires frequent adjustment of the garment from time to time to give the proper support, and, in order to obtain optimum comfort and the satisfactory support, the adjustments should be infinitely variable over the required range of sizes. Also, both during pregnancy and after childbirth, seepage often occurs, requiring the use of a soft, absorbent material in the breast support in order to give the proper comfort and protection as well as acceptable sanitation of the undergarments, thus requiring further and frequent adjustment of the support to accommodate the additional material without unduly increasing the pressure on the breasts. Further, when the baby is weaned, the breasts should be bound gently, but firmly, to prevent the breasts from filling excessively and causing severe pain, thus requiring careful and accurate adjustment of the supporting garment for the garment to effectively minimize these conditions. It is therefore one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a breast support and binder which can readily be adapted to changing conditions of the breasts after childbirth, and which can be effectively controlled during application of the garment to give the required support. and firmness without applying excessive and unnecessary pressure on the breasts.

Another object of the present inventionis to provide a garment for supporting and binding the breasts for postnatal care which can be readily and effectively applied and secured in place.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a breast support and binder which is infinitely variable in size over a wide range to accommodate constantly chang: ing conditions in the breasts, and which, once an adjustment has been made, will maintain the adjustment effectively until the garment is intentionally removed, re:

leased and/or readjusted.

A further object is to provide a relatively simple, easily constructed breast support and binder which can be laundered repeatedly without damaging its supporting and binding effectiveness and without altering the securing means therefor. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a garment of the aforesaid type which gives optimum support and comfort to the wearer Without the use of any metal or plastic buckles or clips, or other types of fixtures con? structed of hard or skin irritating materials, and which will readily conform both horizontally and vertically to the contour of the wearers body above and below and on either side of the breasts. 7

Another object of the invention is toprovide a breast support and binder having a securing means which can be fastened by merely pressing the parts gently together and which can be unfastened by merely pulling the parts apart.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view from the front, of the 3,189,028 Patented June 15, 1965 FIGURE 2 is a perspective view from the rear, show-' ingthe manner in which the present breast support and binder is secured in place on the wearer;

FIGURE 3 is a frontelevational view of the present breast support and binder, showing it removed and with the ends thereof extended laterally;

FIGURE 4 is a rear elevational view of the present breast support and binder shown in the preceding figures; V FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross sectional view of the present garment, the section being taken on line -5 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is an end view of the breast support and binder shown in FIGURE 3; 7

FIGURE 7 is a front elevational view of a modified form of the present breast support and binder showing it with the two ends. thereof extending laterally;

FIGURE 8 is a rear elevational viewof .the garment shown in FIGURE 7; b v

FIGURE 9 is an end view of the garment shown in FIGURE 7; and p FIGURE. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the fastening means and the ends of the present garment, illustrating the manner in which the garment .is secured to the wearer. v l

Referring more specifically to the drawings and to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 7 through 6, numeral 12 designates generally the present garment, 14 a broad band adapted tolreach completely around the chest of the wearer and overlap at its two ends, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, and numeral .16 indicates a preformed pocket for both breasts. The width and length of band 14 and the size and shapeof pocket 16 may be varied to provide different sizes to accommodate the wearer. V t Band 14preferably consist of fabric materialhaving elastic therein extending lengthwise to permit the band to stretch and apply a predetermined amount ,of.pressure on the wearers body, and to vary the pressure or support given to the breasts. Preferably, band 14 is a single piece extending throughout its length and is provided with an opening 18 for pocket 16 The band, how ever, may be constructed of several segments, a segment above and a segment below thepocket and separate segments on each side of the pocket. Thin however, re-

. quires additional seams which mayunder certain conpresent breast support and binder, showing the manner in which it is used;

ditions produce some irritation to the skin of the wearer. The material from which band 14 is made is preferably relatively stiff and should be capable of being washed over and over. without causing any misshaping or damage thereto. In order to prevent the garment from sagging, curling or rolling on either side of pocket 16, stays or reinforcing ribs 20 and 22 may be inserted in vertical pockets or slots 24 and 26, respectively, stitched or other wise secured to the inner side of band 14. The stiffen ing ribs 20 and 22 are preferably of resilient plastic material.

Pocket 16 is sufficiently long to accommodate changes in the breasts during postnatal conditions and is preferably constructed of the same material as band 14, i.e. consisting of material having elastic material in the longitudinal direction to permit stretching of the pocket longitulinally or laterally along with band 14. The stretchable characteristics of pocket 16 also permit slight, but firm, pressure to be applied to the breasts to give the required support thereto. The pocket is stitched or otherwise secured at its four edges to the edges of band 14 surrounding opening 18 and, in the embodiment shown in FIGURES I through 6, contains triangularcenter panel 32 of pocket 16.

The securing means is shown schematically in FIG- URES 3, 4 and 5 at numerals 34 and 36, each consisting of a strip of material sewed or otherwise secured to opposite sides and opposite ends of band 14. In this embodiment, the strip of material 36 is secured to the external surface of the band, whereas the strip of material 34 is secured to the internal surface of the band. The two strips are so constructed that the contacting surfaces thereof adhere firmly to one another when pressed together, thus retaining the garment in place until it is intentionally removed. As shown in FIGURE 10, strip 36 consists of a strip of fabric 40 having plastic pile 42, the individual threads of which are resilient and flexible and are provided with a hook configuration 44 at the free ends, and strip 34 consists of a strip of fabric 46 having a felt-like material 48 of plastic threads on one side formed into complete loops or hooks which become interlocked with hooks 44 on strip 36 when the pile of strip 36 and the felt of strip 34 are pressed together. The two cooperating strips 34 and 36; are available on the market under the trademark Velcro, and one form of this type of securing means, somewhat different however from the securing means disclosed in this application, is disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,717,437 issued to G. De Mestral. Other similar types of securing means may be used in place of the Velcro type if desired, provided the two opposing strips or parts 34 and 36 are capable of being laundered or otherwise cleaned, and can be firmly secured together by merely placing the strips in face-to-face contact and then applying a moderate amount of pressure, and easily separated by merely pulling the two engaging surfaces apart. The particular type of securing means should also be of such a character that the two surfaces of strips 34 and 36 will not be easily damaged by repeated securing operations and will not readily adhere to other materials normally used for undergarments.

It is seen from the foregoing that the present breast support and binder can be readily placed on the wearer and secured firmly in place by merely pressingthe two ends of strips 34 and 36 together after the band has been stretched sufficiently to give the required support to and pressure on the breasts. The wearer can complete the securing operation and it can be adjusted by the wearer from time to time as required, since the operation of fastening and unfastening strips 34 and 36 consists merely of pressing the strips together and pulling them apart, respectively. It should also be noted that the band will adjust itself to the larger measurements around the chest above the breasts and to the smaller measurements around the chest below the breasts, thus providing maximum comfort without any excessive pressure at one place or another on the body of the wearer. Further, since the pocket is stretchable, inserts of absorbent and non-irritating material can be placed on the inner surface thereof for absorbing seepage and to apply additional controlled pressure on the breasts if required.

The modified form illustrated in FIGURES 7, 8 and 9 is similar in most respects to the construction of the embodiment previously described herein,- the primary difference being in the construction of the pocket. Since a number of the parts forming the latter embodiment are the same as those of the former embodiment, the same numerals will be given to identical parts. Band 50 consists of a single piece extending throughout the length of the garment and is provided with tucks 52 and 54 at its upper edge, and tucks 56 and 58 at its lower edge to form a pocket 60 in the center of the garment. The tucks may be formed by merely overlapping the material and sewing the parts thus formed to the band, or triangular sections may be removed at the tucks and the remaining edges of the band sewed together. The material forming band 50 and pocket 60 has the same longitudinally stretchable characteristics as the band 14 of the previously described embodiment. The securing means in this embodiment, likewise, is formed by the material of strips 34 and 36 secured to the opposite ends of band 50. This embodiment likewise may have stays or stiffening ribs 20 and 22 on either side of pocket 60. The modified form of the breast support and binder shown in FIGURES 7, 8 and 9 is applied and used in the same manner as the previously described embodiment.

While only two embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail herein, various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A breast support and binder, comprising a band for reaching around the body of a wearer, said band being constructed of longitudinally stretchable material and having a rectangular opening therein near the center, a single pocket of elastic material secured to said band at said opening and constructed of longitudinally stretchable material for receiving the breasts, vertical slots on opposite sides of said pocket, resilient ribs disposed in said slots, a strip of material secured to one end and on one side of said band and having numerous small securing means thereon in closely spaced relation, and a strip of material secured to the other end and on the other side of said band and having numerous small securing means thereon in closely spaced relation for adhering to said first mentioned strip.

2. A breast support and binder, comprising a band of elastic material for reaching around the body of a wearer, a rectangular opening therein near the center, a single pocket of elastic material secured to said band at said opening for receiving the breasts, a strip of material secured to one end and on one side of said band and having numerous small securing means thereon in closely spaced relation, and a strip of material secured to the other end and on the other side of said band and having numerous small securing means thereon in closely spaced relation for adhering to said first mentioned strip.

3. A breast support and binder, comprising a band of elastic material for reaching around the body of a wearer, a single pocket of elastic material near the center of said band for receiving the breasts, a strip of material secured to one end and on one side of said band and having numerous small securing means thereon in closely spaced relation, and a strip of material secured to the other end and on the other side of said band and having numerous small securing means thereon in closely spaced relation for adhering to said first mentioned strip.

4. A breast support and binder, comprising a band of elastic material for reaching around the body of a wearer, a single pocket of elastic material near the center of said band formed therein by a plurality of pleats along the edge of said band for receiving the breasts, a strip of material secured to one end and-on one side of said band and having numerous small securing means thereon in closely spaced relation, and a strip of material secured to the other end and on the other side of said band and having numerous small securing means thereon in closely spaced relation for adhering to said first mentioned strip.

References @ited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 252,935 1/82 Field 128-431 1,189,589 7/16 Laurence 128-460 1,824,613 9/31 Middleton 128 4-25 2,723,396 11/55 Stack 128-427 2,867,216 1/59 Champagne et al. 128429 2,970,597 2/61 Michel 1 28-495 3,054,400 9/62 Lizio 128--163 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A BREAST SUPPORT AND BINDER, COMPRISING A BAND FOR REACHING AROUND THE BODY OF A WEARER, SAID BAND BEING CONSTRUCTED OF LONGITUDINALLY STRETCHABLE MATERIAL AND HAVING A RECTANGULAR OPENING THEREIN NEAR THE CENTER, A SINGLE POCKET OF ELASTIC MATERIAL SECURED TO SAID BAND AT SAID OPENING AND CONSTRUCTED OF LONGITUDINALLY STRETCHABLE MATERIAL FOR RECEIVING THE BREASTS, VERTICAL SLOTS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID POCKET, RESILIENT RIBS DISPOSED 